Thursday, January 16, 2014

Adjusments

Coming up on my first year with Type One, I thought of a concise, one-word synopsis of this complex disease.

Adjustments.

I am amazed by the different responses I have seen from others in only one year with Type One.
Some of my closest friends will do everything in their power to make sure that both my blood sugars and emotions are stable.

While on the complete other side, I have had people tell me that Type One is an easy, little problem that I will learn to "get over." Of course, they then explain a simple cure for my Type One . . .

consisting of diet and exercise.

I have a hard time with the example above. It is not cool when people flippantly brush off Type One's vast complications, as if to say the disease isn't all that terrible . . .

Adjustments.

I'll just be honest. Life was incredibly simple before Type One. I'm sure you may be thinking this an obvious statement . . . yet while at college I have begun to notice the extensive toll that bad blood sugars take out on me - both mentally and physically.

Whether high or low, my blood sugars have ranged everywhere from 40 to 500 during a school day. It's not easy trying to manage Type One and college at the same time. . .

adjustments.

I've found that focusing on priorities in my life really helps me with Type One. Balancing all of the different components of this disease is overwhelming.

Humans weren't made to think like a pancreas.

Some people don't look at it this way, but it's the truth. Because their pancreas is dead, any Type One is forced to constantly think about dealing with their disease. (If they plan on controlling it) it's really not an option . . .

Adjustments.

I think you get what I'm saying . . .

Type One consists of constant, endless adjustments.

But there is one positive adjustment that Type One has given me.

Knowing that because of this disease, I have the opportunity to reach out to others.

The ability to comfort those who are grieving, and to love those that are hurting.

Though Type One diabetes will always be a part of me, I've found that it is a blessing as well as a curse.

Learning to view the positive side of it is rather smart. Good can always come from bad, you just have to be willing to find it!

In line with what I've talked about . . . here's a funny thought to end with!

3 comments:

Thanks for sharing! Praying for you all to keep trusting in the Lord, although it may be tough at times! "For with God nothing shall be impossible." Luke 1:37 Impossibility is not an option! It is an opportunity to see God work! ﻿

Praying for you, Caleb, as well as the rest :) And, I'm praying for you as you, once again, "adjust" to being back in school! The Lord will strengthen you as you look to Him.--Psalm 31:24 (The whole Psalm is a blessing.)

Caleb, I completely understand what you are talking about with other people's opinions and/or advice regarding the complications of Type I. I often have to chuckle when I hear the same comments regarding the control of my husband's Type I. People do not understand that "diet" and "exercise" have little to do with the overall "control" of a Type I's blood sugar. I think that most people automatically assume that Type I is like that of Type II and that if you just lose weight, exercise, and do not eat concentrated sweets, you will have a "normal" life with no complications. My favorite comments are among those that believe if he would just be "compliant" he would not even need insulin. Again...over the years, I have just learned to chuckle at these assumptions. Mr. Shaver came home yesterday from work and his blood sugar was 137 (which is 'good' for him). By the time we sat down to dinner just an hour and a half later, his blood sugar was 57. All of us knew that something was wrong by the way he was looking around at us in a very "disconnected" and confused way. As our 9 year old son went to get his glucometer (on his own merit), our 7 year old daughter said, "His sugar is 137, I just checked it for him." Needless to say, it took dinner, a piece of cake, and several glucose tablets before he was "o.k." We couldn't "figure out" what bottomed him out. The only activity he performed after he came home was moving a very light dresser a few feet and down a few steps into our garage. Oh, and by the way...he took absolutely NO insulin with his dinner, yet we still battled for several hours to get his blood sugar up to a stable "safe" level before he could go to sleep. "Adjustment" is a great word to describe life with Type I. The adjustment extends far beyond the individual suffering with the disease and into the lives of the loved one(s) that are given the privilege/responsibility to care for them when they are "in trouble." Accepting that life with always be an adjustment is probably the greatest accomplishment you could ever make living with Type I. We are proud of all three of you! Love in Christ, Mrs. Shaver